Secret Killer
by blueXXphoenix
Summary: When a body is found at the hotel the World Class bladers are staying at, Mr. Dickenson refuses to let the leave so he can protect them. Did he make the right choice? ReiXKai Chapter 10 up!
1. Surprise

**Secret Killer**

**Pairings: **ReiXKai

**Warnings: **death, yaoi, violence

**Summary: **When a body is found at the hotel the World Class bladers are staying at, Mr. Dickenson refuses to send them home so he can protect them. Did he make the right choice?

**Disclaimer: **Beyblade and all of its characters rightfully belong to the original author. I forgot his name.

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

---------------Chapter 1- Surprise--------------------------------

Kai groaned ad turned his music up louder, trying desperately to drown out Tyson's whining. However, it seemed nothing could stop the Japanese blader. Rei gave Kai a sympathetic look, making the Russian smile softly. However, Tyson's loud talking brought him back to the problem at hand.

"Tyson-" Kai began threateningly, however, said boy cut him off.

"We're here!!"

The sleek, black limousine pulled up to a tall, brick hotel. _The Hilton _was written in silver along the side. A red carpet led from the entrance of the hotel to the sidewalk, lined with gold. The chauffer, an elderly man with a grey handlebar mustache, climbed out of the vehicle and opened the back door, letting the passengers out.

The Blade Breakers stepped from the car, each carrying a small duffel bag. Kai led his team to the red carpet silently, emotionless mask in place. Rei followed after him with a soft smile. Tyson and Max were last, jumping up and down excitedly.

"I can't believe Mr. Dickenson is holding a tourney! I can't wait to see my mom!" Max yelled excitedly.

Tyson nodded in agreement. "And I can't wait to kick Johnny's ass!"

Kai ignored them and continued walking, not bothering to check if they were following or not. Rei kept silent, inwardly excited about the tourney but afraid to face Kai's wrath.

An attendant opened the shining glass door for them, nodding his head and smiling in greeting. "Welcome," he said. Kai ignored him and walked straight to the front desk.

A small, petite woman sat behind the desk, typing something into her computer. At their arrival, she glanced up with big brown eyes. "How can I help you, Sir?" she asked Kai.

"We have a room under Kai Hiwatari, paid for by Mr. Stanley Dickenson at the BBA," the Russian answered.

Hearing his name, the woman jumped up and immediately began looking for their room key. "Sir, do you remember the room number?"

"613."

She pulled a key from the rack and placed it on the counter. Then, turning away, she called out, "Jonathan!"

A blue-eyed blonde bellboy rushed over, dragging a brass luggage cart behind him. He grabbed their bags and loaded them onto the cart, pausing for a moment to stare openly at Kai. Rei felt his blood boil.

"Carla, what room?" Jonathan asked.

"613," the desk attendant answered.

Kai turned to search the area for familiar faces. A couple chatted lightly at a table close to the café; two children dashed around, screaming annoyingly. A waiter served a man sitting in the corner and the hotel manager talked quietly to a young woman. The other teams had yet to arrive, or they were cooped up in their rooms.

However, Kai's head spun quickly to the door, sensing a disturbance. A man walked in, clad in all black. His spiky black hair and bright green eyes contrasted sharply with his pale skin, and he seemed about Kai's height. He looked like a normal pedestrian, however, something about the man sent bad vibes to Kai.

The stranger in black walked to the manager and whispered something in his ear. The manager's eyes widened as she shooed the woman away. They began to speak in hushed voices.

Kai turned away and was surprised to see everyone else staring at him warily as well. However, as to be expected, Tyson was oblivious to it all.

The man walked away from the manager and came towards the counter, making the group freeze. Kai instinctively took a step forward, in front of his team. Kai's body tensed as the man looked him up and down. They locked eyes, emerald green meeting fiery crimson, a small smirk on the man's lips.

"Can I help you?" Carla asked, drawing his attention from the teen.

"Yes, Ma'am. I'd like a two-bedroom please," the man answered in a deep voice.

"Can I have your name please?"

The man was about to respond when a another, louder voice, boomed, "Welcome, Mr. Hiwatari!" Kai cursed angrily: the manager and blocked out the man's voice, thus blocking out his name as well.

Kai turned to face the plump man and shot him a death glare before angrily stomping away, the others following. The manager looked taken aback but didn't argue.

Jonathan led them to the elevators and up to their level. The walked down many identical hallways until they found a room labeled 613 in gold.

Kai inserted the keycard and swiftly pulled it back out, turning the handle when the light turned green. They stepped in and all the anxiety from mere minutes before evaporated into amazement.

A large, three-panel window faced them, covered by baby blue curtains. A three-piece couch was directly in front of it, creating a half circle around a fireplace and coffee table. The kitchen lay to the right, the bedrooms and bathrooms to the left.

"Welcome to our Golden Suite," Jonathan said.

Tyson ran to the doors to the left and loudly claimed a room with Max. The door slammed shut and they could faintly hear laughter coming from behind the door.

Kai walked to the other bedroom and placed his bag on the bed closets to the window. Rei followed in after him and placed his bag on the open bed.

Silence ensued as each unpacked their belongings. However, the silence was broken by a strange, gurgling sound coming from Rei's stomach. The Chinese blader grabbed his stomach and blushed.

"Hungry, Rei?" Kai asked with slight amusement.

"Well, _you _didn't wake me up when the lady came around for food," Rei pouted.

"Sorry, but you just look so cute when you're sleeping," Kai retorted. Then, realizing what he had said, looked away to hide the faint blush. "Come on. We'll see what they have."

They walked out and were surprised to see Mr. Dickenson waiting patiently in the living room. He turned to glance at the two boys.

But before anyone could talk, Rei's stomach let out another growl. Kai smiled faintly.

"Re, why don't you got get the others? I'll take you all out for dinner," Mr. Dickenson suggested.

Rei practically flew to get the other two, and they all rushed downstairs to the waiting limo. They all piled in and drove to the nearest restaurant.

Hours later, they pulled up to the hotel. They had decided to drive around town, much to Kai's displeasure. They signed autographs when someone recognized them, but mostly just relaxed.

"Race you there, Tyson!" Max yelled, jumping and running from the limousine, Tyson following. Mr. Dickenson, Kai, and Rei walked with a much slower pace.

"Thanks for lunch, Mr. D," Rei said politely. "And for driving us around town."

"Not a problem, Rei. Did you enjoy yourself, Kai?"

"Hn." Kai's mind was still focused on the strange man from earlier.

Rei suddenly had the feeling that something was in his hair. He had adapted this sense after so many people had threatened to cut it in his sleep. He reached up into his hair until he found a damp spot.

He pulled his hand back to look at it and froze. Sliding down his finger was a slick, crimson liquid: Blood.

---------------------Chapter 1- End-----------------------------------------

So what do you think? Should I continue it? Please review. Criticism is appreciated.

pleaseandthankyou.

--blueXXphoenix--


	2. Trouble

Really sorry for the long wait!! Life got in the way (bad excuse, I know.) ANYWAYS... Thanks for all the reviews for chapter one!! I was really excited. Sorry if this chapter is boring- I think it is but I have to put it in. So on with the fic!

"Talking"

_Thinking_

_**Text message**_

Disclaimer: I have never and will never own the Beyblade characters. They belong to that one guy.

----------------Chapter 2- Trouble---------------------------

_He pulled his fingers back to reveal a thick, crimson liquid: blood._

"Rei!!"

The shove came from nowhere, throwing the Chinese blader to the ground. Half a second later, the sickening thud of a body sounded on the concrete.

Lying face up, they discovered the body to be Jonathon, the bellboy from earlier. A noose was tied tightly around his neck and a single silver bullet was wedged between his eyes, blood still flowing from it.

Rei stared at the body with a shocked, pale face from his position under Kai. Said Russian was breathing heavily, staring at the dead man with an incredulous look. Suddenly, noticing what position they were in, both stood with an evident blush. However, their moves were jerky, for they had not yet gotten over the sudden entrance of the dead boy.

Tyson and Max were running laps in the circular doors when they noticed their teammate's shocked faces. They stopped and rushed down the steps before coming to an abrupt halt at the sight of the dead body, a look of disgust passing over both their faces. Mr. Dickenson stood from behind the two oldest members with raised eyebrows and a worried expression.

"Rei... take the others back to the hotel room. Lock everything and wait till I get back," Kai whispered softly, just so that Rei could hear. Forcing his legs to move, he walked up the steps and back to the room, tugging the other two along.

Kai turned to the older man calmly. "Mr. Dickenson, go and tell the manager that their bellboy has been shot. I'll try and get the body away from here," Kai ordered. He spoke so softly that had there been the usual bustle and noise of the city, the BBA manager would not have heard him at all.

The older man nodded, though he wasn't sure if Kai had seen him. The Russian seemed to be starring past the old man; though what he was staring at he wasn't sure of. Mr. Dickenson walked past him, and Kai began to shake.

The Russian took a moment longer to gather himself before bending down and grabbing Jonathon's ankles. He gagged at the feeling of the cold, dead body in his hands. He dragged him around a back alley towards a small crack of light under a door: the kitchen.

Ignoring the putrid smell of the garbage, he ran to the door and began pounding on it loudly, leaving Jonathon lying in the middle of the alleyway.

"Go away! We have no scraps for you!" a man yelled from inside.

"I'm not looking for scraps! My name is Kai Hiwatari! I need to speak to the manager!" the Russian yelled back.

"Kai Hiwatari? That's a good one! I'll have you know that Kai is staying at this hotel right now. I'll let him know you came by!" The man laughed at his poor joke.

"Open the damn door!" Kai hissed.

The man laughed again.

Kai grabbed the handle and tried to twist it open. _Damn... _he thought angrily. _It's locked... Oh well. It's their door. _The Russian took a step back and threw his leg out it perfect form. He kicked the door just above the handle, throwing it open with a loud 'Bang!'

A man turned angrily to glare at whoever had just knocked his door down, but froze upon seeing who it was. His face was flushed as he stuttered to find the right words. "Y-you!"

"Yea. Names Kai. But you were too stupid to believe me. Now get me the manager."

"Right away, Sir!" He turned to another chef. "You! Go find the manager! Tell him it's urgent!" The woman scampered off.

"Please, Mr. Hiwatari, is there anything we can get you to accommodate you better? Something to eat, maybe-"

"Shut-up." Kai cut him off.

The chef looked irritated but didn't argue. Less than a minute later, the kitchen door swung open and the manager walked in, a solemn look on his face, followed by Mr. Dickenson. Kai cocked his head to the partially opened back door and led the other two out.

The body lay where Kai had left him, easy to spot. His face had paled even more and the wound in his head no longer bled. The manager staggered, his face pale as he leaned on the door for support.

"Have you called the police?" Kai asked calmly.

"Y-yea. They know. They're on their way," the manager replied shakily.

"Kai, you can go back to your team. I know this has been a shock for you all and I think-"

Mr. Dickenson began.

"Have you told the other teams?" Kai interrupted.

"Well... no."

"I'll go round up the captains. We'll be waiting in the meeting room."

Kai brushed past the manager and Mr. Dickenson, heading back towards the kitchen and leaving the body to the adults. He ignored the prickling sensation he had on the back of his neck and slipped his emotionless mask back in place.

He pulled out his cell phone and opened his messages tab. He selected 'Create New Message' and began typing quickly.

_**Captain's meeting in the conference room ASAP.**_

_**--Kai**_

He selected all of the captain's numbers and sent out the mass text. Then, he reopened his message tab and started another message.

_**Mr. D is having a captain's meeting about the incident. Keep the others busy until I can get back, understand?**_

_**--Kai**_

He selected the contact 'Rei' and sent the message, waiting for the reply and heading to the conference room. The sudden buzzing of his phone made him pull it back out.

_**Ok. Kai, what's going to happen?**_

The Russian did not reply, just stowed his phone away and entered the room. One entire wall was glass, covered by blue blinds. A circular, oaken table held roughly thirty chairs. He sat at the far end of the table, unsurprised that he was the first to show up.

Five minutes later, the door opened and Lee, Michael, and Robert entered the room. They all gave Kai a questioning look, Lee's filled with disgust more than anything else.

"Have you any idea what this is about?" Robert asked the stoic Russian.

"Just take a seat," Kai replied coldly.

----------End Chapter 2- Trouble------------------

What do you think? I know this wasn't very interesting but I had to put something in to fill in the space between this chapter and the next. Sorry if it was boring, but I promise the next one will be good.

Who do you think should be the next to die? Tell me in your reviews!

pleaseandthankyou.

--blueXXphoenix--


	3. Targets

I am so sorry

I am so sorry! I know I haven't updated in so long and I deeply apologize. This chapter is a bit shorter, but I wanted to end it at a specific place. But don't worry. I'll have chapter 4 up shortly. Already have it written. I won't bore you with my excuses, so here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Nope. Don't own them. Never will.

"Talking:

_Thinking._

&: Chapter 3- Targets: &

"_Have you any idea what this is about?" Robert asked._

"_Just take a seat," Kai replied._

Not five minutes later, all of the captains were seated around the room. Robert, Michael, and Lee were talking to each other quietly on one side of the room; Tala had taken the seat next to Kai, and the two were sitting in silence; Garland and Miguel sat alone silently.

Across the street, facing the wall of windows, at business building of some sort, people busily moved from room to room, their silhouettes visible. Everyone appeared busy.

Now, they had to wait for Mr. Dickenson to arrive.

"Kai, what's this about?" Tala asked, breaking the silence between the two.

"The bellboy, Jonathon, was shot and hung outside the hotel. I'm not sure, but I think the tourney is being called off," Kai answered, quiet enough so the redhead could hear.

Tala kept his face blank, though inside, his mind was whirling. _Why was he shot? Who shot him? Is he really going to cancel the tourney, or is there a different reason to this meeting?_

As if in answer, the conference door opened. The talking ceased and Tala's thoughts came to an abrupt halt as the BBA manager entered. He offered them a weak smile, placed down his hat on the table, and sat.

"Mr. Dickenson, what's going on?" Lee asked. The man sighed.

"Well... there was an incident earlier." He chose his words carefully, trying not to frighten the boys.

"Incident?" Michael asked. "What do you mean?"

Mr. Dickenson stayed silent. He glanced around the room, looking each boy in the eyes, mentally preparing himself to tell them the horrific news. He sighed again and closed his eyes, trying to gather his thoughts.

Kai, not wanting the meeting to drag on and on, answered for him. "The bellboy was shot and hung from outside the hotel on a flagpole," he stated bluntly. Everyone froze and all eyes turned to him.

"W-what?" Michael stuttered.

"You heard me. Someone shot him and decided to hang him from a flagpole."

The room was silent while they tried to take it in. They glanced around at each other, each with fear evident in their eyes. Mr. Dickenson took his chance to speak.

"Kai didn't have to put it so bluntly, but yes. That is what happened. We have yet to find out who the killer is."

Mr. Dickenson immediately regretted his last sentence. All eyes darted around the room, fearing the killer was among them. Even Kai, who had known the news, glanced around. The manager cleared his throat and the attention was brought back to him. "I know the killer is not among us. None of you would do this."

"Mr. Dickenson, are you going to cancel the tourney?" Garland asked.

"I'm afraid I have to," he answered, and then mentally braced himself, knowing of the protest that would follow his next sentence. "However, none of you are leaving." Immediately shouts of protest filled the room.

"No way am I letting my team stay here!"

"We're leaving, whether you want us to or not!"

Even Kai and Tala could not keep quiet. None of them were willing to allow their team to stay here. Not after what's happened. They still feared the killer was among them.

"Now, now boys, please settle down. I have reasoning to my decision, if you would like to hear it." Reluctantly, they quieted, though scowls still adorned their faces. "As manager of the BBA, I can provide you with protection. At least this way, I can-" The man didn't get to finish.

The wall of windows shattered as a bullet tore through, slamming into the wooden wall opposite the windows. Tala and Kai dropped to the ground, under the table, to avoid the raining glass. The other captains followed.

Two more bullets quickly followed the first, shooting under the oaken table and shattering a table leg. Kai risked a glance in the direction of the shooting and saw a window cracked slightly open, the nozzle of the gun just barely visible in the dark room.

A sniper.

Another bullet, though this time followed by a cry of pain. Kai swung his head around and scanned the captains, quickly singling out Miguel. The Spaniard was gripping his shoulder tightly, trying to stop the blood flow.

"Boys! Head for the door! Stay low!" Mr. Dickenson ordered. Swiftly, everyone but Kai headed for the door. The crimson eyed Russian crawled over to Miguel and gripped his forearm, leading him in the direction of the door. The Barthez Battalion captain seemed hazy and confused.

BANG!

Another bullet entered the room, dangerously close to Kai's head, and slammed into the wall. He cursed and, forgetting momentarily that someone was shooting at him, stood. He threw Miguel over his shoulder and began to run. Two more bullets whizzed by.

As soon as his foot was through the door, the shooting stopped. He set Miguel down and pried the Spaniard's hand away to see the wound. The bullet was lodged into his shoulder, almost breaking through to the other side. Something long and pale white stuck out from the back on Miguel's shoulder and Kai realized with disgust that it was his bone. Blood pooled around Miguel's body.

"Mr. Dickenson, Miguel is..." Kai's voice trailed off as the manager hobbled over, realizing someone was hurt. He bent next to Miguel, a worried look on his face as he focused on the injured captain.

"Miguel? It's going to be all right. I'm going to get you help, all right?" Miguel responded with a groan. "Kai, I need you to- Kai?" Mr. Dickenson's eyes darted around the hallway, realizing with growing fear that the Russian enigma had vanished.

"Boys, where's Kai?"

&: Chapter 3- End: &

Well? What did you think? Not my favorite chapter, but essential. Please R&R.

pleaseandthankyou.

--blueXXphoenix-- 


	4. Gone

Wow

Wow. You all must be ready to kill me by now. I know I'm horrible at updating. Something about me and time just don't get along. So, here's chapter 4.

"Talking"

_Thinking._

"_phone call" _

&: Chapter 4- Gone &:

"_Boys, where's Kai?"_

The captains glanced around and swiftly realized that the Russian enigma was gone. Immediately, doubt began to fill them. Their minds became frantic.

"Sir, I'll go look for him," Tala offered. Though he and Kai had not been on excellent terms recently, he still tried to watch out for the other. To find him gone so soon after the shooting made Tala's stomach flip.

"No." Mr. Dickenson's reply was sharp. "No one else is leaving unless I say so. I don't want anyone else to go missing. Robert, I need you to call a hospital. Tell them we have a bullet wound, but mention that we're not leaving the hospital. Michael, call around and make sure that no other teams have lost any members. Lee, you have some medical skills, right?" He received a nod from the Chinese blader. "Good. Tend to Miguel's wound as best you can. Tala, stand here and watch them all. I don't want anyone gone for too long." Mr. Dickenson stood and began to walk down the hallway.

"Mr. Dickenson, where are you going?" Robert asked.

"I need to take care of some things." And with that, he was gone, leaving the captains to fend for themselves. They stood silently for a moment, contemplating what to do.

"Come on, let's get moving. He gave us our orders," Tala said with a demanding voice, trying to get them moving. "Michael, when you call the teams, don't mention that Kai's missing. Garland, call Kai. Keep calling until you have an answer."

They all set off on their jobs. Lee left for a moment, coming back with towels and a bowl of water. He set the items next to Miguel before soaking a towel and placing it on the Spaniard's forehead, trying to cool him down.

"Tala, I need you to talk to him. Keep him awake, no matter what. If he passes out, it'll be hell," Lee ordered. Tala nodded, bending down next to the injured captain.

"Miguel, can you hear me?" he asked.

"Yea... Tal-a," Miguel replied in a quiet sigh. Tala continued to ask him questions, waiting patiently for his answers, while Miguel, tired as he was, continued to answer them as best he could.

Robert bent down next to Tala. "They're sending someone from the nearest hospital right now. They said it'll be about fifteen minutes." Tala nodded.

"Miguel, do you know who this is?" he asked, gesturing to Robert.

"Rob-ert."

"Yes, it's me. Just hang in there, Miguel. Help is on the way. Can you do that? Can you promise me you won't go to sleep?"

"I pro-mise."

"Thank you, Miguel. I'll check on you in a little while."

"Tala!" Michael's frantic cry broke into the conversation. "BEGA is missing Brooklyn!"

"What?" Tala turned swiftly.

"They said he went on a walk about two hours ago and he hasn't come back yet!"

"Garland!" Tala hollered. Garland rushed over, egged on by the urgency in Tala's voice. "How long is Brooklyn usually on his little walks?"

"Less than an hour, usually. Why? Is something wrong?" Garland sensed some wasn't right.

"He's been gone for two hours and hasn't come back."

"What? They haven't gone to look for him?" Garland turned, intent on finding his missing teammate. However, Tala quickly shot his arm out and grabbed Garland's ankle, stopping him from moving.

"We don't need you running off. Call him and tell him to head back, then get back to calling Kai," Tala ordered, his tone threatening Garland to argue. He didn't.

Garland removed his cell phone and punched in a memorized number. After a moment, he began to speak. "Brook...? Finally... where are you... they're worried... head back to the hotel, now... yes, now... all right... bye.

"He's coming back now," Garland reported, sighing with relief.

"Tala...?" Miguel added himself to the conversation with a soft, hoarse voice. Tala noticed with fear that Miguel's breaths were coming out shorter; he hoped the ambulance would get there soon.

"Yes, Miguel?" Tala fought to keep his voice steady.

"Is Brooklyn... all right?"

"Yea, he's fine."

"That's... good. What about... my t-team?"

"Hang on. Michael! How's Barthez?"

Michael was silent for a moment, listening to the phone. Finally, he answered, "They're fine. Everyone's there."

"Your team is all right, Miguel. They're safe."

Lee removed the blood soaked cloth from Miguel's shoulder, also soaking another towel to replace the now-warm towel on his head. He pushed firmly on Miguel's bullet wound; the Spaniard winced but didn't object. Lee then moved away, trying to clear his head from the smell of blood. Instead, he joined Garland in calling Kai.

"Good. Tala...?" Miguel's voice was softer now.

"Yes?"

"Why is it... so... cold?"

"What do you mean, Miguel?" Tala's eyes widened with fear.

"It's warm... when I close... m-my eyes. Can I... sl-sleep n-ow?" Miguel's voice was quieter still.

"No, Miguel. You mustn't. You have to stay awake." Tala was frantic.

"But... I..." Miguel didn't finish as his head titled to the side and his eyes slipped shut. His breathing became softer, slower.

"Miguel! Miguel, wake up!" Tala shook the Spaniard but he didn't respond. "Miguel!" _No... _Tala's mind was a jumbled mess but one thing was clear. _This cannot be happening..._

"Tala, what's happened?" Lee rushed over, hearing the Russian's frantic cry.

"He's passed out, Lee! Robert, where the hell are those medics?!" Tala yelled, his authority back in his voice.

"They're close. Nearly here. Remember Tala, we're in New York. It's going to take some time to-" Tala cut him off angrily.

"We don't have time, Robert! We need them here now! Miguel's passed out and-" Michael cut him off just as he had done to Robert, though his voice was frantic.

"Lee! Gary's gone missing and Mariah's freaking out and on the verge of leaving. Help me!"

Lee ripped his head around, giving Michael a mixed stare of worry and anger. "Give me the phone, he ordered. Michael handed it to him willingly.

"Kev? Where is he..? Tell Mariah to calm down... no, stay there... both of you... make Mariah stop screaming... did you call him...? Ok, don't worry... try to make her relax... I'll call you later." Lee shut the phone and tossed it back to the American. Then he placed his hand over his eyes and sighed.

"As soon as Mr. D comes back I have to go look for Gary. Mariah's a nut case and Kevin can't get her to relax."

"All right. Just help me wake Miguel," Tala said. Lee nodded, quickly remembering the problem at hand. They gently shook the Spaniard, calling out to him.

After a few moments, he wearily opened his eyes. He blinked and glanced around, a confused look on his face and a haze over his eyes. He focused on a spot just past Tala's relieved face.

"Tala? What's going on?" The Russian captain jumped as the unexpected voice spoke from directly behind him. He turned to find Mr. Dickenson hover above them.

"Miguel passed out. He's fine now. Lee, you can go." Tala nodded to the Chinese blader. Lee nodded back and took off, racing down the hallway. In a split second, he was gone.

"Where in the world is he headed off to?" Mr. Dickenson asked, his forehead crinkling in worry. He seemed about ready to take after the boy himself.

"Gary's gone. He's gone to look for him."

At that moment, Miguel mumbled something incoherent. Tala spun around, gripping the Spaniard's hand tightly. "Miguel, you all right?" Tala knew it was a stupid question, but he asked it anyways.

"Yea... what... what happened?" he asked, his voice shaking.

"You passed out. But you're all right now. The medics will-" Tala was cut off by a shout.

"EMS!"

"About damn time. Fifteen minutes my ass," Tala muttered. Mr. Dickenson gave Tala a chastising look but said nothing.

They wore all white, carrying medical supplies. A woman knelt next to Miguel, removing the bloodied towel and examining the wound. "What happened?" she asked.

"He was shot," Tala answered.

"All right. You're not leaving, right?" Tala nodded. "Very well." She turned and opened a white box, pulling out something sharp and apparently made of metal. "This is going to hurt. I won't lie. But the pain won't last too long, ok?"

"Tala..." Miguel whispered, his eyes searching.

"I'm here, Miguel. I'm not leaving." Tala gripped Miguel's hand tighter.

The next hour and a half past slowly for all of them, with Miguel crying or screaming in pain nearly the entire time. Through it all, the Spaniard clawed at Tala's hand desperately. Tala, in response, never once objected.

Finally the medics pulled back. The bullet lay discarded off to the side, the wound stitched and the bleeding stopped. Miguel was leaning against Tala's shoulder, fast asleep, exhausted from the experiences of the day.

"All right, we're done here. The bullet didn't hit any major arteries, but it did strike bone. It'll take time, but your friend will be all right." She offered one final smile, then left, Robert politely thanking them for their help.

Once they had left, Robert walked over and gently touched Tala's shoulder. Immediately his icy blue eyes opened and glanced up at the German. Robert offered a simple smile and Tala's face too broke into a smile of relief. Ever so gently, Tala moved Miguel's head so it would lean on the wall before standing.

"Has Lee returned yet?" he asked in a whisper, determined not to wake Miguel.

"No. Michael's about to call him," Robert replied, just as quiet.

As if on cue, Michael called out, "Tala! It's Lee! He says he needs to talk to you." The American brought over his phone and placed it to his ear.

"Lee?"

"_Tala, I'm here," _Lee replied.

"What's wrong?" Tala could tell by his voice that Lee was worried. "What is it?"

"_I've found Gary." _

"And?"

"_He's dead, Tala."_

&: Chapter 4- End &:

Dun-dun-dun! Gary's dead?! And Kai has yet to return!!

How'd you like it? This has been one of my favorite chapters so far. And I'm going to add another pairing to this story. Don't worry. If you can't tell who it is, I'll make it clear in chapter 5.

R&R!

--blueXXphoenix--


	5. Torment

Whoa

Whoa. Two updates back to back. Incredible for me, isn't it? Well, I love this chapter too, so I had to put it up. Enjoy!

"Talking"

_Thinking_

"_phone call"_

**PS. **This chapter is all in Tala's POV.

**PSS. **This chapter describes someone's horrific death and includes vomiting. If your like me and you don't like one of the two (or both) then I you will see this: to tell you that it is where the blood starts. You will see again, telling you where it ends. This: signals where the vomiting starts and ends (it's in two separate parts). If you skip over this, I'll explain it briefly at the end of the chapter. (The blood, in my opinion, is worse that the vomiting.)

&: Chapter 5- Torment &:

"_I've found Gary."_

"And?"

"_He's dead, Tala."_

My back went rigid and I felt my hand grip the phone impossibly tight. I could feel Michael and Robert's eyes boring into my back, watching me closely as worry made it was around them.

My mind ran in circles around itself, shock passing through me. Dead? How could Gary be dead? He had been here earlier, I'm sure. Yes, I remember seeing him. So how could someone possibly have killed him.

"_Tala?" _Lee's voice broke me from my reverie.

"Where are you?" I asked, my voice amazingly calm.

"_The alley on 7__th__ and 8__th__, on the corner," _he replied.

"Stay there. I'm on my way." I clicked the phone shut and handed it back to Michael as I began to walk away.

Miguel glanced up wearily from his spot on the floor, though I chose to ignore his eyes. Instead, he gently reached out and touched my pant leg, making me turn around, afraid he was discomforted. I knelt next to him, my face mere inches from his own.

"Don't go," he breathed out tiredly, letting his hand find my own. He seemed almost frightened by the thought of me leaving.

"I'll be back soon," I promised. "Just wait for me. The others will take care of you." Then, acting on a sudden will, I swooped in and captured the Spaniard's tan lips with my own in a quick short kiss. Pulling back, I realized he was just as confused by my actions as I was. However, I also realized with delight that I didn't regret it. I offered him a smile and stood.

Again, I began walking back out. However, this time it was Michael's hand on my forearm that stopped me. He gave me a hard stare, demanding me to explain. When I kept silent, he merely said, "Tala?"

I sighed. "Gary's died. Wait here till I come back," I ordered, refusing to look up. Michael released his grip on me and I continued my face paced walk down the hallway, down the elevator, through the lobby, and out the door.

Without warning, I broke into a run. I dashed from street to street, shoving through groups and earning angry shouts in response as I hurried to find Lee. My mind was going crazy, still unable to grasp the fact that the blader had died. Though I didn't know Gary on a personal level, the thought that someone I even remotely knew was dead sent shivers down my spine.

Finally, after much searching, I found 7th street. Locating the nearest alley, I dashed down it. A figure stood at the end, staring at something large on the ground. A dumpster with a distinctly bad smell was on the left side, flies buzzing around it. Moments later I took my place at Lee's side, staring at the bloody lump that used to be Gary.

His face was mashed and deformed and bloodied. His eyes were squished, a strange milky substance leaving from them, died slightly red. Four bullet holes were torn through his chest, breaking through to the other side in ragged holes. Jaggedly cut, his arm lay off to the side, blood still pooling around it. Nearly all his teeth were gone, leaving his open mouth a large, empty gap. However, this wasn't what scared me the most.

It was the look on Gary's face. A look of extreme anguish and fear. A look I didn't think possible any human could wear. No matter how torn his face was, it did nothing to hide his expression.

Next to me, Lee finally pulled his eyes away. He shuddered and walked backwards, leaning against the dumpster before sliding down to the ground. I listened as he dragged his feet to his chest. A moment later, sobs began to shake his frame and escape from his lips.

I couldn't take it anymore. I turned and walked towards Lee, placing a comforting hand on Lee's shoulder. Then, unconsciously aware of my actions, I dialed in a memorized number and waited silently for the other man to pick up.

"_Hello?" _Mr. Dickenson's voice broke loudly across the phone.

I took a second to answer, afraid my voice would break. "Mr. Dickenson?"

"_What's wrong, m'boy?" _Apparently I couldn't conceal anything in my voice. _"Did something happen?"_

"Sir, I... I'm afraid there's been another death," I answered. Beside me, Lee suppressed a shudder.

"_What's happened?"_

"It's Gary, sir. He's dead."

And it all came tumbling down.

The realization hit me like a blow to the gut. Up until now, it had all seemed like a dream. Like it wasn't real. However, speaking the truth to Mr. Dickenson seemed to finalize everything with painful clarity. I physically winced.

I dropped the phone, fell to my hands and knees, and gagged. It only took a second for the puke to come rushing out in a yellowish-green color, mixed slightly with red. Then again, though this time a chalky white. I suddenly remembered that I had had nothing to eat since yesterday night. My whole body felt weak, my muscles turning to mush. My throat burned raw and I shuddered. Lee did nothing to help me, only left his head in his knees. I didn't blame him.

"_Tala?! Tala, answer me!" _Mr. Dickenson's frantic voice yelled from the phone. I dragged myself over to it, took a second to calm myself, and lifted the phone to my ear.

"I'm here," I gasped out weakly. My throat was still raw.

"_Tala, I want you to listen to me. Are you listening?"_

"...Yes."

"_Good. Now, where are you?"_

I took a second to remember. "The alleyway on the corner of 7th and 8th street."

"_Have you called the police?"_

"No."

"_Ok. I'll call them. Tala, who's with you?"_

"Lee." I heard Mr. Dickenson take in a sharp breath, and I knew why. He could only imagine how hard the Chinese captain was taking it. I risked a quick glance at the other captain. He still hadn't moved, by he was not shaking, and so I assumed he wasn't crying.

"_All right. Stay there. I'm on my way."_ The line went dead so I shut my phone and began to wait. I knelt next to Lee, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Lee?" I whispered. He stared up at me with pain filled eyes. Instead of talking as I had planned, I merely gave him a small smile. He tried in vain to return it, instead settling for a nod.

There was a sudden disturbance at the front of the alleyway. I glanced up, staring at the figure that remained at the front entrance. "Mr. Dickenson?" As soon as the words left my mouth I knew they were a lie. This person was way too skinny to be the BBA manager.

I began to walk forward, to meet him, as he did the same. Something in my mind told me to stop. To go back, grab Lee, and run from this man as fast and as far as possible. However, I ignored the urge and continued walking.

"You're not supposed to be down here," I called, stopping mid-step. The urge to run was even greater now. Something I couldn't ignore. Though I had stopped, he kept his pace casually.

I began to back away, back towards Lee. I was frightened now, afraid of this man. Something about him was setting off all the alarms in my head. There was something wrong here.

I turned quickly, running back to grab Lee and get away. Behind me, I heard the other man's pace quicken as he gave chase. I ran faster. I reached the dumpster, sliding to a stop. Grabbing Lee's shoulder, I shook him roughly. He was awakened from his stupor by the urgency in me.

"Lee, we have to-" That was all of the sentence I could get out before I felt a gloved hand grab my neck and slam my head into the nearest brick wall. Immediately, I felt the blankness of unconsciousness take me over as I blacked out. Faintly, somewhere in my mind, I recalled the promise I had made Miguel and wondered how I was going to possible keep it now.

&: Chapter 5- End &:

Ok. So for those of you who skipped over the gross part, this is basically what happened. Someone bashed Gary's head in and Tala up-chucked after seeing him. That's all.

As for the chapter. Well now, that doesn't look good for Tala and Lee at all, does it? Haven't decided if I want to kill one of them off yet...

R&R!

--blueXXphoenix--


	6. Silence

Well... my computer is freaking gay. No, seriously. It's like fifteen years old, and for some reason, I can't warn anyone about blood and other stuffs ahead of time. This computer's older than me, so you'll have to try and put up with its gayness.

But on to the reviews. Jeez, you people are mean. I mean seriously. Everyone was telling me that if I have to kill Tala or Lee, it should be Lee. Hm. I'm going to have to think about that one. Just out of curiosity, what would you people say if I did kill Tala? Tell me in the reviews.

Well, here it is. Sooner than I thought I would post it. Unfortunately, you do not learn the fate of Tala and Lee just yet. Sorry to disappoint you.

&: Chapter 6- Silence &:

Rei slouched over the balcony railing and sighed for the thousandth time. Since Kai had (yet again) mysteriously vanished for that captain's meeting, Rei had been worrying. Like always.

He sighed again and turned away from the balcony, walking back inside and firmly shutting the door. Softly, he walked over to the couch and sat himself on the farthest end. Faintly, he could hear Max and Tyson talking from a room.

Good. Rei had worried that they might have figured out something. He didn't want them to notice that Kai's disappearance had not been intended to be this long.

He removed his cell phone from his pocket and dialed a well-memorized number. It rang, and was finally answered on the fourth ring.

"_Hello?" _Kevin's voice came through clearly on the other end.

"Hey Kevin. It's Rei. Where's Mariah?"

"_She stepped out for a minute."_

"Oh, ok. Has Lee come back yet?"

"_No, and I'm starting to worry. He's not answering his cell anymore."_

"Don't do anything rash, Kevin. Just hang on for a bit. I'm sure he'll be there soon. Call me when he gets there, all right?"

"_Sure, Rei. I'll call you."_

"Okay. See you, Kev."

"_See you, Rei."_

The phone was disconnected and Rei flipped his shut. From the look of things, none of the captain's had returned to their teams. And none of them were answering their cells. Although, Michael had called earlier, checking to see if they were all there...

The sudden buzzing from Rei's phone brought the Neko-jin from his mind. Glancing at the screen, 'Private' was in bold. Rei starred at it annoyed, but answered anyways.

"Hello?" he asked.

"_Don't move an inch. Do exactly as I say," _a deep, distorted voice replied. Rei's mind went on high alert.

"Who is this?" Rei asked warily.

"_That's not important. What is important is that you listen to my every word and don't try and disobey. I'm watching you."_

Rei's eyes immediately shot around the room. The only way that person could see him was if he was looking through the balcony, and even then, Rei wouldn't be in his line of vision.

"_I know what your thinking, and don't do it. I _can_ see you. You're sitting on the couch, on the farthest seat, facing the fireplace."_

Rei palled. This man _could_ see him!

"OK. What do you want?" Rei asked, trying to keep his voice calm. He failed.

"_I want you to listen. Go to the room where and Tyson and Max are and tell them that you're going out."_

Rei tried to stand but found he couldn't move his legs. He heard the man chuckle_. "Maybe you need some motivation."_ There was the sound of the phone being passed, then, _"Rei! Rei, help me!"_ Mariah's voice was high pitched and frightened.

"Mariah!" Rei yelled, despite himself. The phone was handed back to the man. "If you hurt her I swear I'll-" The man cut him off.

"_Now, now. I won't need to hurt her if you obey me. Now, go tell the other two that you're going out."_

Rei stood, motivated by his fear for Mariah, and walked to the back room. Gently, he pushed the door open and stepped in. Tyson and Max were lounging on the bed, laughing at something one of them had said.

"Hey you guys, I'm going out to get some fresh air. I'll be back in a little, ok?" Rei was surprisingly calm. It seemed much easier to keep up a façade when Mariah's life was on the line.

"All right, Rei. See you," Tyson said. They didn't seem to notice anything wrong with him.

Rei stepped back from the door and walked quietly down the hallway, listening to the man's orders.

"_All right. Now, I want you go downstairs and out to the street. Don't take longer than five minutes or this little girl says goodbye. Now, go."_

Rei moved swiftly, almost running. He shoved people out of the way, ignoring their angry shouts and cries of recognition. He was on the street in two minutes.

"_Well well, aren't we in a rush today?"_ The man chuckled. _"I wonder why that would be."_

"Please, leave Mariah alone. I'm begging you. Leave her out of this," Rei cried. No matter what, he didn't want Mariah to be hurt.

"_Oh, come on. If there wasn't a threat, this wouldn't be so much fun. Now, walk to your left down the street."_

"I'm warning you, you damned son of a-"

"_Ah, do you really want to use that kind of language with me? When your friend is in so much danger? You are daring! This is more fun than I thought it would be! Now, do as I say and start walking."_

Rei, reluctantly, did as he was told. He kept glancing around, looking for the freak that was harassing him. He saw no one. The man was leading him into a secluded area of the town. Harder to get help.

"All right. Now take a right, into that alley there." Rei turned. "Walk all the way to the end. Now stop. Turn, slowly." Rei turned, surprised to find a man behind him, a shinning knife in his right hand.

Rei took a silent step back, dropping his phone. The line went dead. The man inched menacingly closer. Rei's breath quickened as he realized his two options: fight or flight. Neither seemed like good choices.

Rei took a traditional fighting stance and tensed, readying himself. He focused, blocking out everything else. The man chuckled, the same sound from the man on the phone. Rei recognized the voice. His eyes widened.

Suddenly, the man was close enough. Too close. Rei lifted his lead leg and snapped it out into a well aimed front kick. The man gasped, the air leaving him, as he was thrown a few good feet away. Rei took his chance to run.

Making it barely to the end of the alley, Rei felt a sudden, sharp pain in his left leg. He gasped, unable to cry out, and turned slightly to stare at the gash in his leg from the knife. Blood was already trickling down his leg.

Rei didn't stand a chance after that. The man was behind him in an instant, another knife pressed into Rei's neck. A sudden cloth was placed over Rei's mouth and nose, a faint but obvious smell to it.

Rei tried to struggle free but his wounded leg handicapped him. Slowly, ever so slowly, the drug began to take affect. Eventually, his movements were sluggish, no more and gestures, until they were nothing at all as Rei passed out from the drug, leaning heavily on the man. Again, he chuckled, his brown eyes glittering in the small lamplight.

&: Chapter 6- End &:

GASP. Don't kill me yet, because I haven't killed Rei... yet... I still haven't decided what to do with him. But the brown eyes were a hint to the killer. Kudos to anyone who gets it right, but you won't know if you did until later chapters. I don't give out any information about what's going to happen. Just ask StarShinobi.

**PS.** Don't forget to answer my question from earlier: if I killed Tala, what would you say?

Anyways...

R&R!

--blueXXphoenix--


	7. Broken

Heya

Heya! This chappie is extra long since I haven't updated in forever and I might not update for a while. My apologies.

Also, I think it's about time I give thanks to all my reviewers. You guys keep me going! I'm so happy that you all are enjoying the story thus far.

**Disclaimer: **Nope. Still don't. Sucks, I know.

"Talking"

_Thinking._

**-Flashback-**

**-End Flashback-**

**WARNING: **Tala has a potty mouth in this chapter. Sorry if you don't like it, but that's the way it is.

On with the chappie!

&: Chapter 7- Broken &:

Rei groaned as he came to, curling up to try and stop the pain. As he did so, he wondered what could have woken him. It could have been the annoying whir of the rickety ceiling fan above. Or maybe it was the too-tight handcuffs that were chaffing his wrist and pressing uncomfortably into his back. It might have even been the tortuously cold air. However, he leaned more to the idea that it was the painful kicks Tala kept planting into his gut.

The red head sighed when he finally got a reaction from the Neko-jin. Rei sat up slightly, glad that Tala was no longer kicking him and adjusting himself so that the handcuffs were no longer stabbing into his back. However, he could still feel their tight hold as his hands went numb.

Rei blinked, trying to clear his eyes from the foggy haze he got from sleeping. The carpet he felt under him was soft and comfortable. The wooden panels on the walls were gleaming under the light from the chandelier. To both sides, round tables were folded up and leaning against the walls. It seemed they were in a ballroom of some sort.

"Admiring?" Tala asked sarcastically.

Rei shot him a glance. "Hmph."

"Heh. It is nice. But I don't think this is the proper time to admire it."

"Why not?"

"You serious?"

"You don't like it?"

"I was kidnapped and forced to come here. Like hell I'm gonna enjoy it here. Weren't you kidnapped? Or did you come here by choice, idiot?"

"Calm down. It slipped my mind." Rei had indeed forgotten. Vaguely he could recall the kidnapping from last night.

"Um... how'd you end up here?" Rei tried to start a conversation with Tala since they were the only two in the room. Tala seemed just as eager to reply.

"Knocked out and dragged is my assumption. I wasn't awake. You?"

"Some drug I inhaled, and then dragged I believe."

"Was anyone with you when you were taken?"

"No. You?"

"Yea... Lee..." Tala's voice was so full of loathing and hate that Rei swore that he had heard him wrong. But when he glanced up and saw Tala's icy blue eyes burning with something stronger than hatred, Rei gave him an incredulous stare. As far as he knew, Tala held no grudges against Lee.

Tala just sighed, leaning against the wall and bringing his hands behind his head. Again, Rei gave him a stare. This was the first time he noticed that Tala's hands were not cuffed like his own. Tala sighed again and gave Rei a smirk.

"Come here. I can get them off for you, then I'll tell you about Lee," Tala replied to Rei's stare, pulling out a small knife and a... bobby pin? Rei wondered what Tala was doing with either of the items.

"I don't know. Either they didn't check me for weapons or they didn't think my knife was much of a threat." Tala answered Rei's unasked question.

The raven haired boy just nodded and began scooting over towards Tala. Nearly there, though, the friction from scooting across the carpet made Rei stop short and fall forward, landing sprawled across Tala's lap, his face down. The Russian chuckled when the other blushed and tried to right himself, but to Rei's surprise, Tala placed a firm hand on his back and held him in place, setting to work, his face set in concentration.

Silence fell over them, the occasional clinking of metal on metal sounding in the room. Rei was still uncomfortable in his position, but he didn't want to object in fear that the Russian would refuse to help him out of his cuffs. Instead, he busied himself with trying to name the smell that fell over Tala. He knew from before that it wasn't the Russian's usual smell. When the silence became to boring and Rei couldn't place the smell, he asked the question that had been on his mind for a few minutes.

"Umm... Tala, why do you have a... bobby pin?"

Tala let out a small dry laugh. "Kai and Bryan never let up on me: always teasing me about my feminine side. I suppose I just carry it now out of habit more than anything. Though now they blame it on the fact that I'm gay."

"You're... gay?"

"Yea. Got my boyfriend yesterday."

"Really? Who?" Rei was genuinely interested.

"Miguel. You know, captain of Barthez. Well, I kissed him, so I assume we're going out. Though, it'll be pretty awkward if he says we're not." Tala's voice dropped a bit, like he was remembering a painful memory, so Rei changed the subject.

"Tala, why do you... smell like... Kai?" Rei had finally been able to locate the smell, matching it with Kai's own. Though it was twisted and mixed with Tala's personal aroma, Rei's sensitive nose could tell the difference. Rei had made the discovery with, for some reason, slight jealousy.

Tala didn't respond. "Tala?"

"Oh shit." The Russian's voice seemed far off, like he was not focused on Rei's question, so Rei tried to turn his head. However, Tala's pale hand flew to Rei's face, pushing it in the other direction.

"Don't look, Rei," Tala ordered. Though, it wasn't hard to figure out what the red head was trying so hard to hide.

"Did you _cut _me?" Rei asked, incredulous.

"It's not that bad. You can see it when I'm done."

"No way, Tala! You freaking sliced my wrist open you-" Tala slapped the Chinese blader harshly on the back of the head.

"Calm down. It's not that bad. Yell at me again and I won't finish undoing the cuffs."

Rei quieted but glared at a spot on the ground, angry with the Russian. Though he knew Tala wasn't lying; Rei could feel the very slow drip of the blood and knew it wasn't much. Silence resumed again, which Kai's scent came back clearly to Rei.

"You didn't answer my question," Rei said.

"Oh, I don't know. I guess just hanging out with him all the time made it happen," Tala responded. Rei couldn't suppress the growl or jealously from his throat.

Tala let out a full blown laugh now, dropping the tools and clutching his sides. Rei, finding nothing funny, bit back another growl and waited impatiently. Finally, when the Russian seemed well enough to talk, Rei bit out, "What the hell so funny?"

"You're jealous of me and Kai hanging out aren't you?" Rei didn't respond. "You are." Tala laughed again, picking up the tool and resuming his work.

"So what if I am?" Rei asked.

"Rei, I have Miguel. I don't want Kai, and he doesn't want me." Rei felt the last click of metal as the cuffs fell, and he moved to sit up. "Though, I'd gladly welcome someone that sexy into my bed anytime. I mean-" Tala didn't get to finish. Rei slammed it hands on the ground and pushed, propelling himself backwards...

And directly into Tala's face.

Tala's head jerked to the side with the force of the hit and his hand shot up to his now-bruising nose. He glared angrily at the Neko-jin with so much hatred that Rei would have, had it been possible, been burned by his gaze. However, seeing as it wasn't possible, Rei just glared back defiantly.

"What the hell, Rei?!" Tala shouted.

"Don't talk about Kai like that," Rei replied calmly.

"It's a joke between me and Kai! It's the way we talk about each other! Damn it, I told you, I have Miguel! And besides, it wasn't like I was insulting him! He is sexy as hell and you know it so don't you dare lie to me!" Tala seethed.

Rei's glare turned sheepish. "A... joke?"

"Fuck yes! Damn it, asshole!"

"Oh... sorry?"

Rei was still in arm's reach. Big mistake. Tala snapped his fist out, slamming it into Rei's face with enough force to bruise but not bleed, as he had planned. Rei groaned and fell back, grabbing his nose in pain.

"You can apologize now," Tala said. Rei muttered something, muffled by his hand, that Tala took as an apology. However, it sounded more along the lines of "psychotic Russian assholes" than "sorry for punching you in the nose."

Rei was still lying on the ground, clutching his nose. "Oh, get up you big baby. You're fine. I didn't punch you that hard." The Neko-jin sat up and glared. His nose was red and swollen, just beginning to bruise.

"Do you want to hear the story or not?" Tala asked. Rei, momentarily sidetracked by their fight, was reminded immediately by Tala's comment that there was something going on that had to do with Lee.

"Continue," Rei replied.

Tala got himself comfortable as he thought back on the memory, narrating it for Rei.

**-Flashback (Tala POV)-**

They dropped me to the ground roughly and I held back my cry of protest. The sack on my head smelt oddly like potatoes, and there were multiple holes in it. I tried glancing through a few, looking for a way to escape. However, two people stood in front of my, blocking my line of vision.

"...need to ...quiet."

"But we... no threat... tell..."

Bits of their conversation floated back to me as I slipped in and out of consciousness. Their words were muffled by the bag, but I could make any sense of them anyways, so it didn't matter.

I heard the faint sound of someone walking across the carpet, then the loud bang of a door slamming shut. Not three seconds after the door was shut, the sack was ripped from my head.

I blinked, trying to clear my eyes. The lights were too bright, the cuffs too tight, and it was way too cold. Someone was standing above me, so I glanced up. When my eyes cleared and their face came into view, I felt my eyes widen slightly.

"Didn't think it was me, did you?" Lee Laan asked smugly. I gaped.

"But... but you... the shooting... and Gary..." I tried in vain to piece together the story, but I was controlled by my shock. _Lee? _I thought. _Lee is the killer?_

"Yes, it's me. Obviously, I'm not alone. Even you should be able to figure that out," Lee said.

"Who else?" I finally chocked out, my mouth suddenly feeling like a desert. Lee just laughed.

"Like I'm going to tell you. Be patient. You'll figure it out." And with that he turned on his heel, headed towards the door. He stopped, however, and turned slightly to speak.

"Oh, and Tala, you might want to get out of this soon. No one's going to be able to protect Miguel with you here. And I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want to be with someone who can't keep their word." The door snapped shut and I could only stare on in silence, my mind running around furiously.

Mostly, I thought of the promise I had made to Miguel. _"I'll be back soon. Just wait for me." _

I couldn't keep that promise any longer. I couldn't go back anytime soon. It made me think of the quote I had heard somewhere: When you break your word, you break something that cannot be mended.

My mind blank with the thought of hurting Miguel, I set my mind on one goal: I have to get out of here. Reaching as best I could into my pocket, I was relieved to find both my bobby pin and pocket knife still in there. So they must not have seen the knife as a threat.

Concentrating, I began to pick the lock, using years of experience I got from the Abbey. Nearly five minutes later, the locks were undone and the cuffs removed. I stood, casting the cuffs aside and running to the only set of doors.

I grabbed the handle, but was stopped short by the fierce shock that ran through my body. I jerked my arm back and hissed, pressing my burn to my body. An eerie, threatening laugh sounded on a nearby intercom and I glanced around, spotting the noise easily.

"_Come on, Tala. We're not that stupid. We couldn't have you escaping, now could we? You see, every time you touch that handle, the electricity charges and shoots back through you. Fun, isn't it?"_

A security camera was next to it, so I glared angrily into the lens. "Let me out of here, you fucking bastards!"

"_Not yet. We're having too much fun!" _

I growled and stalked off, going to sit back where I was. Silence resumed and I glanced around the room. For nearly seven hours I sat, according to the clock on the wall across from me.

Just as I was beginning to slip into sleep, the door was shoved open Lee walked in and dropped Rei next to me, still unconscious. I glanced up, but the door was already shut and Lee gone. I turned to the Neko-jin and nudged him, but he didn't move. I hit him this time, but again, no reaction.

I sighed and forced my boot into his gut again and again, trying to wake him. After almost an hour, he groaned and opened his eyes, staring at me unseeingly. I sighed, content with the response.

**-End Flashback (Normal POV)-**

"Wait... Gary's dead?" Rei asked, shocked.

"Yea. Lee killed him."

"But... why?"

"That's another story for another day," a new voice answered, speaking from the direction of the door. Lee stood against the door, smirking at Rei and Tala. They both sent him back disgusted looks, but Rei's was overcome by shock.

"Lee... why would you-" Rei was unable to finish the question.

Lee laughed maniacally. "I'm not going to answer that right now, Rei." Lee pulled out a knife and Rei's breath hitched.

"You wouldn't kill us," Tala said confidently.

"Oh, of course not. But I never said I was going to kill _you_." The door was pushed open and Emily York from the PPB All Starz fell in, pushed from behind. Tear streaks ran down her cheeks and her face was horror stricken.

Lee stalked over and grabbed her by the hair, yanking her upwards. She shrieked, slapping her hands out to try and push him away. He just laughed again, placing the knife against her throat and causing her to stop moving.

Tala's eyes widened. "Lee, no!" he yelled.

Emily caught eyes with Tala as though noticing him for the first time. "Tala! Rei! Please help me!!" Her voice was desperate.

"There is a way for you to help her, Tala," Lee said, a malicious grin on his face. Tala gulped but didn't reply.

"You choose: her life... or Miguel's." Tala's heart skipped a beat and he tried to take in a breath. His obvious answer was for Miguel to live, but he didn't want Emily's blood on his hands.

"Decide soon, or I choose for you."

Tala's mind raced. One half was screaming, "_You have to protect Miguel!" _While the other side raged with, _"Don't be foolish! You can't decide this rashly! Don't put her blood on your hands!"_

Tala knew arguing in his head was futile. He knew his answer from the start, and he wouldn't change it. He didn't have much of a choice. Still, it didn't stop the hurt he felt when-

"Time's almost up, Tala. Decide soon," Lee said.

"Tala! You can't let Emily die!" Rei cried out.

"Tala!" Emily's shrill voice begged a silent, useless plea.

"That's it then. Times up. The one to die is Mi-"

"Don't kill Miguel!" Tala's voice broke as he crumpled into sobs. Rei sat still beside him, unable to say anything. Emily let the tears fall as the realization hit her. Lee just laughed.

"Of course not." One slice and it was done. Her head fell from her neck, rolling on the ground, while her blood gushed out. Emily's eyes were still wide with fright.

"A predictable choice. I had a feeling you would choose him." Lee bent and picked up the two pieces of Emily's body, walking away.

"Tala, you're not going to make it. I'll make sure of it. And when you die, I'll be sure to let Miguel live so he can suffer alone." The door slammed shut.

Tala continued to sob uncontrollably, curled up on the ground, his face in his hands. Rei placed a hand on his shoulder as a sign of comfort, his own tears falling as he realized the monster his best friend had become.

Rei knew that there was nothing to be done. They wouldn't win. They would die here, by Lee's hand, and no one would find out until days, maybe weeks later. There was no use hoping.

&: Chapter 7- End &:

Angsty a bit at the end, I know. I didn't mean for it to turn out so much like that. A bit twisted though, don't you think? That Lee ends up being a killer. I promise it will make more sense in the future. Well anyways... R&R!

--blueXXphoenix--


	8. Return

It feels good to be back. I do apologize for my extended absence; I hadn't expected it to be this long. But I don't want to waste your time with excuses so… On with the fic!

**Title: **Secret Killer

**Summary: **When a body is found at the hotel the World Class bladers are staying at, Mr. Dickenson refuses to let them leave so he can protect them. Did he make the right choice?

**Disclaimer: **Beyblade and all of its characters belong to their rightful owners

**Warnings: **a few curse words, but nothing really.

&: Chapter 8- Return &:

The captains all stood in a circle, staring blankly at the ground. Miguel was the only exception as he sat against the wall, one knee drawn to him with his arm hanging over it. His other leg was stretched out before him. If one had merely glanced at them, one would have thought that they were talking casually. A few steps closer revealed the tired, tense atmosphere.

In reality, they were trying to decide what their next step was going to be. No one was sure of what to do. When Tala had been there, he had taken control of the situation and had given orders smoothly. He had made it seem easy. Now that he had been missing for a while, there was no one to tell them what to do.

They had tried calling Lee's cell phone, but no one had answered. Eventually the line had been disconnected, going straight to voicemail. No one could get a hold of him and see if he was even alive.

"Do you think he- they're ok?" Miguel asked to no one in particular. He attempted to sound concerned about Tala, Lee, and Kai, but Tala was the only name that crossed his mind.

"I'm sure Tala's fine," Garland replied, singling out the redhead for Miguel's benefit.

"I'm sure they're _all _doing fine," Robert snapped out. No one seemed surprised by his sharp, rude tone. They had all been through the wringer, and a bit of a bad attitude was to be expected.

However, none of the captains touched on the subject that was disquieting them the most. Kai had been missing for nearly two days now. When he was there, it gave the captains a sense of security. Safety. Now that the dual-haired teen was missing, their blanket of safety was gone.

"Where do you think he's at?" Miguel asked. He didn't have to explain for them to know who he was talking about.

"I don't know," Michael replied, laughing humorlessly. It wasn't a real laugh; it was hollow, and he only used it to feel the silence.

"Do you think he's in trouble?" Robert asked, ignoring his growing dislike for Kai.

"Kai's able to take care of himself," Garland replied quietly.

Miguel sighed and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed the already-memorized phone number that led to Tala. Bringing the phone to his ear, he waited through the dial tone, hoping he would answer and yet knowing he wouldn't.

"_Hey_, _you_'_ve reached Tala_'_s phone_." The recording started and Miguel, suddenly growing angry with the recording, snapped his phone shut and threw it down the hallway, burying his head in his hands. However, Miguel's head shot back up when the phone collided with something that didn't sound like the carpeted hallway.

Miguel gaped as Kai slowly walked down the hallway, holding a now-broken phone in both of his hands. His face was unusually calm, an oddity among the worn out expressions of the other captains, but his eyes had just a hint of anger.

"I swear to God if you hadn't been shot earlier, I'd punch you in the face," Kai said, pinning Miguel with a glare and absentmindedly dropping the phone. The other captains whirled around, their eyes wide with shock. Silence falls and Kai waits.

"I go missing for two days and none of you can even welcome me back? And here I was thinking you all were sentimental fools like Tyson," Kai muttered, his face expressionless. The questions started as soon as he finished his sentence.

"Where were you?"

"You couldn't have called?"

"Some notice would have been nice."

"Where _were _you?"

"Could have given us a heads up."

"Have you seen Tala and Lee? They're gone, too," Miguel muttered.

Kai met Miguel's eyes quickly. "What?"

"T-Tala and Lee a-are m-missing too," Miguel stuttered out under the intense gaze,

"Since?"

"Almost a day."

"And no one's gone to look for them?"

"Mr. Dickenson said—"

"Hold on, Kai. You've been missing for _two _days. Where the hell were you?" Robert asks, cutting Miguel off.

"That's unimportant right now. What is important is that—"

Robert suddenly grabbed Kai's collar and slammed him against the wall, Kai's feet dangling just slightly. Robert's pent up anger came out all at once. "You've been gone longer than they have. I want answers, Hiwatari, and I want them now."

Kai's face remained impassive but his eyes took on a threatening glare. "I'll give those answers when I damn well please. Put me down, Jurgen. Now." Robert let him go, slightly frightened by Kai's stare.

"Now, no one's gone looking for them?" Kai asked, eyeing the group.

"We were told to stay put," Michael replied.

"And you actually obeyed?" Kai sounded incredulous.

"Incase you haven't noticed, Kai, but this isn't a regular tourney. People are dieing, Kai!" Michael all but shouted.

"You don't think I know that? Because of you, Tala and Lee could be dead!"

Silence took over again. _Of course _they knew that. Wasn't it obvious? They had all been thinking it, but no one had actually voiced the thought. They had all been too afraid.

"We didn't know where to start looking. Tala and Lee took off after Gary died, and they never said where that was exactly. This way, at least we know our teams are safe," Miguel murmured, suddenly finding the floor very interesting.

Kai stares blankly out the window with unconcerned silence.

"Gary's dead," Robert repeats, watching Kai closely.

"I know," Kai replied nonchalantly.

"You don't seem too surprised."

"I'm not."

"Oh really now?" Robert raises his eye brows in mock surprise.

"This isn't my fault," Kai says threateningly, catching on.

"You vanish, Gary dies, and you seem very unsurprised," Robert says, waiting for an answer.

"Shut the hell up, Robert. I might not be the nicest person here, but I'm no killer."

"And here I was thinking it was in your nature to kill all of us. How foolish of me," Robert said, muttering the last part to himself.

"What is your problem with me?" Kai asked.

"Robert…" Michael's tone was warning, trying to divert the fight. Here they were, two captains missing, two ready to kill each other. Perfect.

"Oh come on Michael, you know you've—"

"Then go ahead. Blame it on me, if it'll get you to shut up. Right now, we've got bigger problems than the opinion of an arrogant, selfish, two-faced German bigot," Kai bit out. Silence rang out after Kai's harsh words, shocking them all.

Suddenly, Kai's phone began vibrating. The Russian glanced at his pocket as though expecting the phone to answer itself. Finally, after a few moments, Kai reached into his pocket and removed the phone. On the front screen was a picture of a redhead, and underneath was a single word.

'Tala.'

&: Chapter 8- End &:

So… yea.

R&R!

--blueXXphoenix--


	9. Trepidation

Sorry if Kai seems a bit OOC in this chappie, but it's the way I wanted him.

"Talking"

_Thinking_

"_Phone call"_

&:Chapter 9 - Trepidation &:

Tala's picture flashed across Kai's phone, his name written in black block letters below it. Kai's crimson eyes were open in shock, and as the other captains drew near, shock and hope filled their eyes as well. It was only when Miguel finally joined the circle that the silence was broken.

"Aren't you going to answer it?" he asked, his voice just above a whisper.

Kai's senses snapped back and he flipped the phone open warily. The screen changed and the words 'Connected' came up, along with a timer. The seconds slowly began ticking away.

"Hello?" Kai's voice was quiet, unusually, so he cleared his throat and tried again. "Hello?" This time, someone was quick to answer.

"_K_-_Kai_…"a voice croaked out, and Kai instinctively knew it was Tala. The redhead sounded weak, in pain, and the thought wasn't enjoyable to Kai.

"Tala? What's going on? Are you hurt?" Kai mentally slapped himself; obviously Tala was hurt— a perfectly fine person just didn't _sound _like that. Listening for a moment, Tala wheezed and coughed; the noise was unusually and uncharacteristically wet.

"_Kai_…_ I_'_m_…"Another onslaught of coughs silenced Tala, and this time Kai didn't get a chance to respond. Miguel reached across and snatched the phone from Kai's grasp.

"Tala?!" The Spaniard was frantic, desperate to hear the other speak.

"_Well now_,_ Miguel_,_ I believe Tala was trying to talk to Kai_,"a distorted voice said, and Kai snatched the phone back angrily. Miguel, shocked, slumped against the nearest wall and fell to the floor.

"Where's Tala?" the dual haired teen demanded. The man on the other line chuckled.

"_Don_'_t be so bossy, Kai. You_'_re in no position to order me around_,"the man said, and chuckled again.

"Don't play with me. Where is Tala?" Kai's tone was menacing and dangerous, and any _sane_ person would immediately give Kai what he wanted. Of course, this was no sane person; some of the captains doubted if this was even a person.

"_Ooh_,_ feisty. Haha_,_ Kai_,_ you_'_re making this too enjoyable. Now listen_,_ Kai_,_ I want you to do something_,_ all right_?_ Can you do that_?"The man on the other line seemed to be enjoying this immensely. Kai, however, did not.

"You're going to tell me where Tala is right now."

"_Well_,_ I can tell you that he_'_s right next to Rei_."

Kai froze and nearly dropped the phone. Rei…? No, that was a lie. Rei was back in the hotel room, with the team. Kai was sure of it. But now that he thought about it, Kai hadn't heard from Rei or any of his team for quite a while. Dread settled like a rock in his stomach as he realized that in his absence, he had left his team completely unprotected. They were vulnerable, and it was entirely Kai's fault.

"_Kai_?_ Are you still there_?_ We haven_'_t decided to kill you yet_,_ so I know you_'_re still alive_."

That seemed to snap Kai back. "Did you kill Gary?" His mind was racing, looking at the situation from all angles, trying to find the best method. His captain instincts took over as he formulated a plan to get Tala, Rei, and Lee back to safety.

"_I sure did. All I had to do was lure that oaf out with a few promising words_,_ and then shoot him. I hadn_'_t meant to shoot him four times_,_ but I had to make sure the bullets went all the way through. And then I bashed his head in with a baseball bat because he wouldn_'_t stop screaming. Terribly sorry about the arm_,_ too. He wouldn_'_t let go off my leg_…"The man trailed off on the last sentence and Kai understood the unfinished statement.

"Why? Why are you killing us?"

"_I_'_ll save that tidbit of information for later_."

"Please!" Kai was begging now, but he didn't care. "Just leave us alone! Give us back Tala and Rei and L-" Kai stopped mid-sentence as something fell harshly across his mind.

Kai had asked where Tala was, and the man had said next to Rei. No one had spoken of Lee until then. No one had brought him up. Automatically Kai's mind went to the thought of Lee being dead. But then an even more sickening thought approached Kai's mind, and though he tried to ignore it, it stuck like a leech.

Kai gulped, though his throat remained coarse and dry. When he finally voiced his thoughts, his voice was shaky. "Is… is this… Lee?"

The man on the other line chuckled and that was all the confirmation Kai needed. No… it couldn't be… But Kai couldn't deny the truth. Lee, a fellow captain and blader, was slaughtering them all. Why would he…?

"Lee, why are you doing this? We aren't your enemies. Lee… I…" Kai couldn't find the words he wanted. The thought of Lee butchering them was inconceivable. And still, there the thought was, clear as day.

"_All right_,_ Kai_,_ you_'_ve been good so far_,_ so I_'_ll tell you a few things. Tala and Rei are here with me_,_ alive but not_…completely_ well. I won_'_t kill them off. At least_,_ not yet. They_'_re_…_ useful. And don_'_t expect Emily to be the last death. Plenty more where that came from_."

Kai swallowed the lump in his throat. "You… killed Emily?" The Russian heard Michael take in a sharp breath.

"_Yes. She was so annoying anyways. But getting back to the point_,_ don_'_t come looking for these two. You won_'_t find them. I_'_ll make sure they_'_re dead before anyone gets to them_,_ and calling the police isn't such a good idea either. And just because I haven_'_t killed Rei yet_,_ it doesn_'_t mean your team is safe._

"_Au revoir_,_ Kai_."The line clicked shut and Kai's phone beeped once, signaling the end of the conversation. Slowly, Kai dropped his arm and shut the phone. He glanced up at the other captains, his face hard but his eyes showing the turmoil and pain in his heart.

Tala was in trouble. Rei was in trouble. Lee was killing them all. Emily was dead. Everything was going wrong, and Kai could do nothing to stop it. He heaved in a heavy sigh and looked up. He realized then that all the captains were looking to him for reassurance and orders.

"What's happened has happened," Kai began solemnly. "And we can't undo it. All we can do now is try and prevent anymore deaths. Call your teams. Make sure everyone is ok and keep track of who is missing."

The other captains responded almost immediately, moving as though they were being mind controlled. Michael looked up at Kai, his eyes showing pain and a feeling of loss from Emily's death. Kai placed a comforting hand on Michael's shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I know it's hard, but we have to make sure no one else gets hurt. You need to protect the rest of your team." Michael nodded, regretting his earlier words against Kai.

Lifting his arm again, Kai began dialing Max's cell phone number. He couldn't hide this from Max and Tyson any longer.

"_Kai_?"Max answered the phone, unsure. Kai _never _called him.

"It's me Max."

"_Oh_,_ hey. What_'_s up_?"

"Max, listen…" Kai paused for a moment, calming himself. "Max, something's wrong. There's… there's someone after us. I need you and Tyson to stay together now. Is he there?"

"_Um_…_ yea. Kai_,_ what_'_s going on_?" Kai could tell Max was trying to be responsible and stay in control of himself.

"I can't tell you now. I need you to get Tyson and go to the Majestics' room. Stay with them until I call you. I'll try and keep in touch."

"_Kai_,_ Rei isn_'_t here_."

A pang of guilt, hurt, and shame slammed into Kai so hard, he felt he might double over in pain. "I… I know, Max. I know where Rei is. Please, just get Tyson and go. Don't talk to anyone outside and never go anywhere by yourself. Understand?"

"_Ok Kai. You_'_ll call us later_?"

"Yes Max. I promise. See you." Kai flipped his phone shut without waiting for a response. He knew Max would do as told. Kai turned his gaze to Miguel: the Spaniard had his arms wrapped around his knees and his face was covered. Kai realized that his body was shaking with sobs.

Quietly walking over to the Spanish captain, Kai gently grabbed his shoulder. Miguel looked up at Kai, his eyes red and tear tracks down his cheeks. Kai gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze and Miguel feebly tried to smile.

"Call your team. Tell them to head over to the Majestics' room and tell them to stay there. We'll gather the teams in that room," Kai said, loud enough for all of the captains to hear. Seconds later the message is relayed multiple times. Miguel nodded and pulled out his phone, flipping through the numbers before selecting one and dialing it. It rang a few times before Kai faintly heard Claude's voice answer.

Crouching patiently next to Miguel, Kai waited silently until Miguel finished speaking. "Head down to the Majestics' room. Make sure all of your team members make it there safely. Robert, tell Max and Tyson that I'll be there soon. Don't tell them that Lee is… after us, and don't tell them that Rei and Tala are-" Kai halted himself, thinking before continuing. "Don't tell them that Rei and Tala are captured. Let Bryan know, though; he'll know what to do. You all stay together and _do not _stop or talk to anyone."

Kai removed his phone from his pocket and dialed a number, staring blankly at the lit up screen. The phone rang once before a gruff voice answered with a clipped 'Hello.' Miguel recognized the voice belonging to the most aloof of the Russian team: Bryan.

Kai talked quietly in hushed Russian, relaying the situation to Bryan without revealing too much. He left out the bit of Tala being captured, instead telling Bryan that Tala was away and had a job to do. Though he sounded unsure, Bryan bought the explanation without question. When the conversation was finished Kai stowed his phone once again into his pocket and turned to face down the hallway.

"Where are you going?" Michael asked in a quiet voice, stepping forward slightly. He sounded almost afraid of Kai leaving.

"I have to go talk with Mr. Dickenson. I'll be there soon. Don't worry, I'll keep in touch." Kai turned and left then, taking all of their security in one simple motion and three short sentences. They stared at the place he'd vacated, blank looks on all their faces.

"Come on. We've got to get to our teams. Garland, please help Miguel; I'm not sure if he can make it on his own," Robert suggested as he glanced over to the Spanish captain. The boy looked fragile, his entire body trembling.

Garland nodded and stepped forward, placing one of Miguel's arms around his shoulders while Garland grabbed around his waist, supporting him. "Come on, Miguel. Up we go." Numbly Miguel began to drag his feet, helping Garland as much as he could.

The four captains headed down the hallway slowly, walking towards the elevators. When they were all inside Robert pushed the 5 and it began to glow. The elevator began to rise.

* * *

True to his word, Kai often text the captain's to alert them of his whereabouts. It took Kai a good ten minutes to find Mr. Dickenson, what with the man running all over the place. As soon as he found him, Kai demanded that they meet for a moment.

"It's Lee," Kai said bluntly as soon as they were out of hearing range.

Mr. Dickenson looked shocked and then shook his head. The man's face was covered in perspiration, making him seem even more frazzled. "What?"

"Lee is the one doing this. He told me himself. He's got Tala and Rei right now. We have to help them."

"How did you-"

"He called us on Tala's phone. Mr. Dickenson I am not going to sugar coat this at all. They will die unless we find a way to help them, and soon. Lee is ready to kill them. He's not going to hesitate and I refuse to just leave them to die."

"Don't worry m'boy. We'll find a way to save them. Where are the other captains? And the teams?"

"They're all headed to the Majestics' room. I've got to go there soon, too."

"I'll call the police and-"

"No. We can't. Lee said not to." The sentence irked Kai; it sounded as though Lee was ordering Kai around, and the Russian captain didn't like that at all. Still, it wasn't like Kai was in any position to refuse.

Mr. Dickenson stopped to think for a moment. "All right. Head back and stay with the rest of your team. Tell me if Lee contacts you again and please keep them safe."

Kai nodded and turned, leaving abruptly. Mr. Dickenson rushed off, trying to plan a way to save the two captive bladers without endangering anyone else. Problem was, was that there was no way. At least, not anyway that Mr. Dickenson could see.

* * *

By the time Kai arrived at the Majestics' room, the room was in chaos. The teams were all crammed into the living room, shouting at each other and demanding an explanation from their captains. The captains, not sure if an explanation was a good idea, stood in the back, trying to keep everything under control. Every time they were asked for an explanation, they'd simply shake their heads and mutter "Not now."

Fearing that Miguel wouldn't be able to handle the stress, the Spaniard sat in a bedroom alone, away from his team and the madness outside. Claude apparently picked up on his captain's discomfort because he immediately took on Miguel's role.

When Kai walked in, everyone got silent. All of the bladers glued their eyes to Russian, waiting for an explanation but not daring to ask for one. Kai sighed and rubbed both his eyes, scanning the room.

"Where's Max and Tyson?" he asked suddenly, and the others parted so the two members of the team could get to their captain. Max and Tyson were right next to each other, as ordered, looking confused.

Kai nodded, glad to see them safe. Then, he turned to Robert, silently asking where Miguel was. Robert jerked his thumb towards a bedroom and Kai nodded again.

"All right. Everyone take a seat." There was ten seconds of shuffling as everyone settled, then all heads swiveled in Kai's direction.

"The bellboy, Jonathon, was killed two days ago. Someone shot him. Then Gary was found dead yesterday. Also, Tala and Rei went missing. This killer has them. He's told me himself."

As soon as Kai said that Gary was dead, Mariah knelt on the ground, tears falling silently from her eyes. Tyson's own eyes widened in realization of Rei's absence, while Max still looked confused. Kai had not even briefly thought of the effects onto the teammates. He mentally berated himself.

Bryan ran forward, grabbing Kai by his collar scruff and slamming him into the wall a few feet off of the ground. Kai's head slammed painfully into the wall but the two-toned blader showed no sign of discomfort. The lilac haired Russian was trembling, his arms shaking. Bryan's eyes were full of anger and fear. Anger because Kai withheld the information of Tala's kidnapping, and fear for his captain's life.

"You didn't say anything about Tala earlier," Bryan spat out angrily.

"Put me down Bryan. This will solve nothing. And don't worry; we _will _get Tala back. I swear to it that you'll see him again, alive." Bryan, with a final glare, let Kai fall to the ground.

The stunned silence that followed made it feel like an awkward moment. Every single blader in the room wanted to burst out in laughter, to tell Kai that he had made a good joke. But all of them feared that Kai wasn't joking.

"Ok… so if this is all true, who is this killer?" Mariah's voice called out, composed but still heavy with her sobs. In her brother's absence, she had stepped up to take the role as captain.

Kai sighed again. Of course Mariah had to be the one to ask. How could he answer that without hurting her? Though he never particularly cared for her, no one, no matter how much he didn't like them, deserved to hear something like this. Kai just shrugged, though, and replied.

"You're brother, Lee."

This time the silence was even more deafening. Mariah's face contorted into hatred and anger but she couldn't bring herself to say anything. Somehow, she knew Kai wasn't lying. She knew it was Lee.

Mathilda from Barthez walked over to Mariah, placing a consoling arm around the girl's shoulders. Kevin trembled slightly, holding Mariah's hand and squeezing so hard his knuckles were white. His face was fear stricken.

"So what do we do now? How do we get them back and stop Lee?" Claude asked, holding one arm across his chest and grabbing his elbow. His face was frightened but his voice was firm. The solidness of his voice seemed to help solidify the resolve of the others.

They all looked to Kai.

"I don't know."

And with Kai's three simple words, their resolve crumbled to pieces again.

&: End &:

Well a bit longer than I expected but… yea.

R&R.

--blueXXphoenix--


	10. Abscond

"Talking"

_Thinking _

"_Phone Call"_

I know it's a quick update from last time, but today is the last day of spring break for me, so I wanted to get one more chapter in before the break ended. Enjoy!

&: Chapter 10- Abscond &:

_They all looked to Kai._

"_I don_'_t know_."

_And with Kai_'_s three simple words_,_ their resolve crumbled to pieces again._

Something was groaning, a low, tired sound. Rei wearily blinked open his eyes, adjusting to the darkness. Stone walls surrounded him, dirty and covered with grime. He slouched against one, and then took a shaky breath.

He realized the groan was coming from himself, along with the person beside him. Looking just barely to the right, Rei saw the broken and battered form of Tala. His read hair hung in bloody clumps in front of his face and his head lolled awkwardly to the left.

Rei shrugged his shoulder up, trying to reach Tala, and found he couldn't: his arm felt like a dead weight, half asleep and numb. Again he tried, but all he could accomplish were a few twitches from his fingers. His other arm could hardly be considered better.

He sighed again, a low, hissing sound. Rei sat in a puddle of something wet, and the dim light in the room wasn't much help in identifying it. Something scuttled in the corner, and then squeaked high-pitched. Rei felt like he was trapped in some kind of horror movie.

"R…ei…" Tala breathed out. The Russian didn't move, didn't look up.

Again, Rei glanced over from the corner of his eye. "I'm her-" Rei broke off, his throat dry, and a cough erupted from his chest painfully. It wracked his whole body and he groaned; it felt like his chest was burning.

"Where… are…we?" The last word came out as a quiet breath but Rei got the gist of the question.

"Don't know. Can't see." Rei decided to keep his answers as short as possible to keep from coughing. Still, even the slightest breath scratched his throat. Neither boy could remember the last time they had food, much less water.

"Well now, look whose woken up," a voice said suddenly. Rei glanced up and saw the faint silhouette of Lee standing above him. "I hope I didn't cut your conversation with Kai too short, but we had to wrap things up." Lee had his eyes honed in on Tala, and his eyes had a smug glint to them.

"Go… to hell…" Tala said, his voice still barely audible, but he somehow sounded fierce even in his weakened state.

Lee's face quickly contorted to rage. "Shut up!" he yelled as he swung his foot out and planted a strong kick into Tala's stomach. The redhead gagged and spit blood out, clutching at his stomach feebly. Rei cringed.

Lee grinned again. "That's better."

"Lee, leave him alone," Rei said. His throat burned but he ignored it, trying to be strong for Tala's sake.

Lee turned his gaze to Rei. "Do you want a kick as well, Rei?"

Rei shrunk back in fear, covering his vital body parts. Lee smiled. "Thought so. Sorry, but I have to leave now. Got a little business to take care of." Then he turned and left, walking out of the area and turning a corner. A moment later a metal door slammed shut. Lee's last words left an icy feeling in the room.

"Rei…" Tala gasped out, and Rei turned to look at him. The redhead was battered and broken even more than Rei: both his arms were covered in bruises, his skin hung limply from his bones, and from his silhouette, Rei could tell there was something wrong with Tala's ribs. But when the Russian looked up, his blue eyes held determination and resolve. "We have to get out of here."

* * *

"We have to help Tala and Rei!"

"Kai, what're we going to do?"

"What if Lee comes after one of us next?"

Dozens of voices shouted at the Russian standing in the middle of the room. There hadn't been any silence for almost an hour straight. Kai stood calmly, taking all of it, waiting for the swell of voices to calm. Still, he could only take so much. So finally, Kai stomped his foot loudly and clamped his hands over his ears.

"Shut up!!" he roared and silence fell on the room. For a few brief seconds Kai allowed himself to enjoy the silence before he began to speak. "I don't know what we're going to do yet. Our first priority is to make sure the rest of you stay safe, and then work on getting Tala and Rei back.

"Captains, do a count up. No one leaves anymore. I want everyone to stay here," Kai ordered, referring to the numerous times others had left to 'get some fresh air'.

Immediately everyone began counting heads, looking for all of their team members. Miguel was back on his feet, not as lively as before but willing to step up as captain. His body ached more than anything, but he understood his obligation as captain. As such, he began to panic when he found one missing.

"Kai, Claude is gone!" His voice brought silence to the room and the bladers glanced around each other, looking for the missing Barthez blader. Mathilda and Aaron were frozen in a corner of the room, their eyes wide. Mathilda immediately began to cry, fearing the worst.

"Anyone see him?" Kai asked the group, and got a general and despaired 'no'.

"I can't get him on his cell either. He's not answering," Miguel said, wide awake now. Dread was filling up the Spaniard fast. First Tala and now this…

"All right. Garland, Robert, Michael, stay here and watch after them. Miguel, come with me and keep trying to call Claude. Garland, I'll call through you," Kai relayed his orders quickly and they moved into action.

Miguel walked over to the door, eager to find his missing teammate. Kai pulled out his cell phone and dialed Garland's number, ready to stay in touch the entire time. Robert and Garland moved about the room a bit, where they could see everyone clearly. Michael walked to Aaron and Mathilda, placing a comforting hand on Mathilda's shoulder.

"All right. Call if something happens." And with that Kai and Miguel walked out, shutting the door behind them. Silence fell over the group uneasily.

* * *

Kai and Miguel treaded slowly, the Russian leading the way. Miguel continually tried to call Claude but repeatedly got no answer. The dread in his stomach grew, and Kai too began to get nervous; they could both see the probable ending to Claude's disappearance.

Still, they didn't give up hope and continued moving forward. Both refused to accept the truth. They searched the entire building floor by floor, only to come up empty. Finally, all that was left to look on was the roof.

"Ready?" Kai whispered to Miguel, making sure the Spaniard was prepared for whatever was behind the final door. Miguel nodded, his body shaking, but firmness in his eyes.

Kai threw the door open, glancing around warily. And there, sitting in a chair and partially facing the ledge, was Claude. They could only see part of his face, the rest hidden by the angle of the chair. His eyes were shut. Miguel immediately began running forward to get his now-found teammate, unlikely hope rising in him, but Kai grabbed his arm quickly.

Claude should have turned around.

Miguel didn't try and fight Kai. And somehow, he knew they were too late. He knew Claude was…

Kai reached the chair first and spun it fully around. It was Claude all right, but the back half of his head was missing. His blood was pooling into the chair, parts of it already caked over. One eye, they eye they could see, was closed; the other was open and lifeless, a single bullet wedged in between them. Kai let out a shuddering sigh.

He remembered how determined Claude had been not twenty-four hours ago. How sure Claude had sounded that they had a plan and were going to get Rei and Tala back. And look what happened to him for it.

Kai reached his hand out, shutting Claude's dead eye. Miguel was shuddering but didn't cry. He just stood there, dead silent and impossibly still. It was almost as frightening as the dead Claude.

"Miguel?" Kai called to him softly.

"We've found him. Let's get back; no need to keep the others waiting." Miguel's tone was choked and quiet. Kai nodded.

It went unspoken that Claude would have to stay there. No way they were going to lug around a dead body. And where would he go once they took him back to the hotel room? It was clearly a waste of time and energy. Claude would have to stay there until the police could get him down.

The two captains turned together and began the slow descent back down the stairs. Claude's lifeless body rested behind them, sitting in the chair.

* * *

Rei groaned silently and dragged his body forward just a bit more. The space was unusually cramped and Rei, skinny as he was and even skinnier now, was having a difficulty making it through, but he was getting there.

Tala had forced Rei to go through the small gap they had found in the brick. The Russian had pointed out, quite bluntly, that even if he made it through the hole, Tala probably would have died before he could get to the other bladers. It was best that Rei go so he could get help.

And so here Rei was, inching ever so slowly through the gap, trying to go fast enough so that he would be gone before Lee came back. He didn't like leaving Tala there; there was no saying what Lee would do to him. Still, Tala insisted that he would be fine and that Rei had to get out. And with Tala being as stubborn as he is, Rei had lost.

Still, fitting through the hole was no easy task. It continually got narrower, and the bricks were sharp and jagged; the hole had been hastily cut and nothing had been smoothed out.

Something clanged open behind him suddenly, echoing in the stone, and Rei froze. A chill ran down his spine. It was the door. Lee was back. A moment later, he heard the yell.

"Where the hell is Rei?!" Lee roared.

"Gone. Away from you," Tala shot back, his voice fierce; he had regained some of his lost energy.

"How? How could he have gotten out?! You let him out!!" The accusation was ridiculous, as Tala was quick to point out.

"If I let Rei out wouldn't I have let myself out?" he asked sarcastically. Something collided with another solid, and then another impact, and Rei winced, picturing the scene. Lee had slapped Tala as hard as he could, then pushed the Russian's head into the brick wall.

Rei continued inching forward, trying only to focus on the task of getting out. He _had _to get out and find the others. For Tala's sake. The Russian captain was risking everything to get Rei out; Rei knew he couldn't fail.

Sunlight was shining through the end now, filtering across Rei's face. It was an omen both good and bad. Rei was almost home free, but it showed just how trapped Tala really was, alone now too.

Just before Rei staggered out into the sunlight, Tala let out an agonized scream.

&: End &:

Uh-oh… What happened to Tala? Guess you'll have to wait for the next chappie.

R&R

--blueXXphoenix--


End file.
